Engineers check in here!

Originally Posted by Tampa02e46

My company asked... I rounded up-That's what I learned to do in teh math class.

GPA is such BS. A lot of it depends on the professor you get... I dropped ONE class throughout my whole ME degree, Numerical Methods. I HATED the prof and he was extremely difficult. I didn't drop in time to not get the grade, so I ended up with a D in the class. Luckily we had 1 grade replacement we could use. I signed up for a different professor, same class, got a 92% in the course...

Same here. Got a D the first time because the teacher was an a-hole. Retook it and got the 2nd highest grade in both sections. GPA is retarded.

I only had one interviewer ask me. Mine happens to be a 3.0 even, and he said he usually tries to get people between around 3 because it's a good middle ground between nerdy and practical skills.

Originally Posted by casino is no lie

No one actively seeks out to be a contractor. People who are interested in short term assignments either join firms like BCG or Accenture as consultants or try to form their own consulting group.

You are making a lot of money. But there are several huge catches. You are billed by the hour. If you want to take a vacation you don't get paid. You don't have the ability to contribute to a 401K on a pre-tax basis nor will you receive company matching benefits. You will not receive an annual bonus. Nor are you provided with health insurance benefits (i.e., medical, dental and vision).

The worst part about contract work is there is no guarantee that you have a job lined up after your contract expires (i.e., complete lack of job security). And given the nature of the field every job you take severely limits your ability to even be eligible to join another company due to non-compete agreements.

Mostly true. Contracts can be firm-fixed price, and you get paid for the job (not the hours). And, you can contribute, tax-free, to a 401k. It is called a solo 401k. Same contribution limits as anyone, too.

+1 on the PME. What the hell is that SamDoe?

Mechanical Engineer. When I was in school (long time ago) the hardest classes were Fluid Mechanics (calculus based) and some of the higher level math classes (Differential Equations, Finite Element Analysis, etc).

Originally Posted by nofar

Mechanical Engineer. When I was in school (long time ago) the hardest classes were Fluid Mechanics (calculus based) and some of the higher level math classes (Differential Equations, Finite Element Analysis, etc).

weren't all of your ME classes calculus based? heat transfer, material properties, thermo, statics, dynamics, controls, etc?

Few of us in school earned a 2nd go at Differetial Equations.

Bottom line is school gets you in the door, experience is what counts after that. Unless you went to Devry or ITT Tech

Statics is pure trig, ans is solid mechanics, and dynamics can be taught with just algebra.

Edit: earned a 2nd go? They won't let you take a course for a second time...

Originally Posted by 325seeeye

+1 on the PME. What the hell is that SamDoe?

I have no idea, ask andrewrossnagel as he's the one that posted it. Current running theory is that it's equivalent to a plumber.

Originally Posted by yousharenow

Older engineers are all that is left. The brain drain is heavy in 2 areas - Engineering and Air Traffic Control. There aren't NEARLY enough young engineers to backfill the group of engineers that are going to retire in the next decade. Everyone is off getting an expressive dance degree or something.

I really don't get much guff, I got this job because I am well known in my industry, I have experience on networks of all sizes and shapes, and I'm published. Most the guys are impressed that I am where I am at my age, but they quickly figure out WHY I am where I am. Like I said, there just aren't a lot of solid, young engineers out there.



Where did you get this? NE degree's aren't very widely known.

I got it at New England Institute of Technology located in Rhode Island.

Originally Posted by 217Bimmer

weren't all of your ME classes calculus based? heat transfer, material properties, thermo, statics, dynamics, controls, etc?

Yes, but some were more complicated than others.

Originally Posted by nofar

Mechanical Engineer. When I was in school (long time ago) the hardest classes were Fluid Mechanics (calculus based) and some of the higher level math classes (Differential Equations, Finite Element Analysis, etc).

Fluids, heat transfer, and Thermodynamics II were the hardest for me. Statics and dynamics I found fun

Favorite courses would be manufacturing processes, SolidWorks, and Kynamics&Dynamics

Originally Posted by Tampa02e46

Fluids, heat transfer, and Thermodynamics II were the hardest for me. Statics and dynamics I found fun

Favorite courses would be manufacturing processes, SolidWorks, and Kynamics&Dynamics

What is Kynamics?

My most difficult classes were math and chemistry. Got all C's and D's in them. Almost all engineering classes were fun and easy because they're actually interesting.

Originally Posted by iverson2k10

I got it at New England Institute of Technology located in Rhode Island.

When did you graduate? I just finished up there and I live in the area. We've probably passed each other lol

Originally Posted by kuksul08

What is Kynamics?

My most difficult classes were math and chemistry. Got all C's and D's in them. Almost all engineering classes were fun and easy because they're actually interesting.

i think it's a mix of kynmestry and ceramics

So, similar to underwater basket weaving?

Originally Posted by Jesse M

When did you graduate? I just finished up there and I live in the area. We've probably passed each other lol

O'really? I finished september of 2011 and my graduation was last May, where we had that dude from the today show in Ny be our guest speaker.


thank god I only had to deal with the East greenwhich campus for only one semester because Im from cranston and having the post road campus was key throughout my associates and bachelors.

heres what i used to drive to school in

My favorite engineering class was demo PE

Originally Posted by kuksul08

What is Kynamics?
.

Well here is what kinematics is:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kinematics


and this is Directly from my course description:

Kinematics of machines and mechanisms; position, velocity, and acceleration analysis of mechanisms; cams; gear trains; inertia forces in mechanisms; flywheels; balancing of rotating masses.

Loved me some chemistry

I got an Electrical Engineering degree here.

What most people don't realise is that just because you are an engineer doesn't mean you will be a millionaire. It's not a high paying profession at all.

You aren't poorly paid but you're also not making a killing either.

One of the reasons is that there is just way too much competition out there. There are many Universities that are offering Engineering and have thousands of graduates every year.

The only way you can make a lot of money is to work in remote areas such as off shore or at an oil patch, you will make a killing there however this is only an option is your single. And it will be a very boring and dull life, usually most call it quits after a few short months.

Another way is by being a contractor. However like it was said before there is no job security and you need to have many years experience and have a lot of contacts in the field to be successful.


Most of the Engineering work i've done or my friend did wasn't really Engineering. It was more like being project supervisor, data clerk, or being a sales representative.

Originally Posted by adaseb

I got an Electrical Engineering degree here.

What most people don't realise is that just because you are an engineer doesn't mean you will be a millionaire. It's not a high paying profession at all.

You aren't poorly paid but you're also not making a killing either.

One of the reasons is that there is just way too much competition out there. There are many Universities that are offering Engineering and have thousands of graduates every year.

The only way you can make a lot of money is to work in remote areas such as off shore or at an oil patch, you will make a killing there however this is only an option is your single. And it will be a very boring and dull life, usually most call it quits after a few short months.

Another way is by being a contractor. However like it was said before there is no job security and you need to have many years experience and have a lot of contacts in the field to be successful.


Most of the Engineering work i've done or my friend did wasn't really Engineering. It was more like being project supervisor, data clerk, or being a sales representative.

Exactly. I honestly think a lot of engineers are underpaid considering all that they do for the good of society.